Oscars 2013: The five best speeches at the Academy Awards

Director and producer Ben Affleck accepts the Oscar for best picture for "Argo" at the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 24, 2013. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni )

Who gave the best speech on Oscar night? Early on, it looked like it was going to be hard to come up with five. But then Jennifer Lawrence, Daniel Day-Lewis and Ben Affleck arrived to save the night.

Here are our five favorite speeches:

1. Ben Affleck, best picture for "Argo": Sure, Daniel Day-Lewis was more polished, but Affleck's somewhat rambling, but candid and honest acceptance speech receives our vote for best because it was just that: emotional, passionate and tender. He not only moved us, but ended the night on a positive note -- going beyond the corridors of Hollywood to encourage those who are feeling downtrodden. Lovely.

2. Day-Lewis, best actor for "Lincoln": As expected, the multiple Oscar winner was the best speaker, giving the most eloquent, polished and surprisingly funny speech. Saying you were up to play Margaret Thatcher and Meryl Streep Lincoln was the funniest moment in the show. (Sorry, Seth MacFarlane.). "I really don't know how this all happened," Day-Lewis commented at the start of his speech. Well we do. You were that amazing. And you gave one of the most perfect speeches. A class act.

3. Jennifer Lawrence, best actress for "Silver Linings Playbook." Can you possibly get any more adorable? "This is nuts!," the versatile actress said, just after tripping on the way up to collect her award. She kept it short and sassy. Just the way we like it.

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4. Quentin Tarantino, best original screenplay for "Django Unchained": Did anyone really expect bad-boy Tarantino to be so jaw-droppingly gracious, not only thanking his incredible cast for the reason he won, but praising all the other writers in both screenwriting categories. What an unexpectedly kind speech, Tarantino. Even loved your off-the-cuff opening remark when you came up onstage to get your trophy from Charlize Theron: "That's cool, Charlize is my neighbor"

5. Chris Terrio, best adapted screenplay: The first-timer hit a grand slam, bringing up Affleck's co-screenwriting win for "Good Will Hunting" and how the "Argo" actor/director has launched his career. But his final words about using nonviolence to solve world problems reverberates powerfully and aptly sums up the topical theme of the best picture winner.